*long drawn out whine*

Hey, guys. I am back.

This story should wrap up around chapter 40(?) I dunno, but expect this to be finished soon.

Sorry for the wait, dearies :3

Mikuo quickly swept the chessboard away and darted up to his room. His mind was a swarm of scattered thoughts; interconnected and confusing in ways he was really starting to hate. It was a spur of the moment decision when he picked up his phone and dialed Len's number.

It was a pretty dumb thing to do, in retrospect. His friend was in class at the time. Why would he pick up in the first place? Not only that, but explaining the whole thing to the other boy… Well, it would be a mess. Especially when Len was so fond of both his sister and SeeU, who had both been hurt by this thing between Mayu and Mikuo.

Mikuo waited as Len's phone rang, that uneasy feeling he kept getting whenever Len seemed to be involved these days settling in his gut. Somehow, the Hatsune boy wasn't at all surprised when his friend picks up the phone.

"Yo," his friend opened with.

Mikuo swallowed the lump in his throat and replied. "Hey, Len," he greeted.

"Dude! You aren't here. What's up?" Len asked. There was a shuffling sound and static. Since Len's voice was rather quiet at the moment, Mikuo imagined that the boy was probably finding a better place to talk on the phone. Maybe the library or something, he didn't know.

"It's, uh…" Mikuo hesitated. He didn't even know why he had called Len of all people. All this would result in was more bad blood between the two and probably a lecture. Oh, well. Too late now.

"I don't know if Rin told you what happened, but…" Mikuo shook his head. "Scratch that; if you aren't yelling at me, she probably didn't share."

There was a moment of silence on the line. Mikuo could hear Len's breath over the phone, a rush of static that (if he wasn't imagining it) was fighting to remain calm.

"Mikuo, what the actual hell are you talking about? I'm in the middle of class," Len said. "Can't this wait?"

Mikuo could feel his own hand loosely gripping the phone. It was with a heavy heart that he replied, "it's nothing. We can talk about it later. Sorry for bothering you."

Len sounded something along the lines of confused and worried and perhaps even hesitant as he said, "okay, if you want."

An awkward moment of silence followed. Mikuo cleared his throat, regretting this entire exchange. "Bye," he said.

"Bye," Len told him. The line went dead as his friend hung up.

"Why would Len be mad at you?"

Mikuo jumped at the voice behind him. It was a sweet voice, made of bells and and sugar. It was the last voice he wanted to hear.

He turned around to see Mayu, school bag in hand at the open door of his room. It isn't a lie to say he could feel his heart literally stop in his chest. Maybe he was reading too much into it, but the look on Mayu's face look positively… dangerous. But it was odd, because that smile was the same one she always wore. How could he have not noticed this before?

"No reason," Mikuo heard himself say before his brain can catch up with his mouth. What? No! I didn't mean to say that!

Mayu didn't seem to buy it, but she didn't press the topic.

"What are you doing home?" she asked. "I thought you had an appointment."

"It was over a little while ago," Mikuo lied again. He was regretting the hole he seemed to keep digging himself into, but he just couldn't stop. Why was he so afraid of this tiny girl?

"Ah," Mayu said. She didn't believe him. Obviously. Why else would she be here?

"Why are you here?" Mikuo asked. He realized how accusatory that sounded and quickly backpedaled when the look on Mayu's face turned sour. "I mean, don't you have classes? You didn't have to go to the trouble to skip and come here, you know."

Mayu smiled warmly at him. He couldn't help but hate it. He underestimated how weird everything would feel once he was in her company again.

No, weird wasn't the right word. Try "terrifying."

But the weird thing about the whole situation was that, despite the obvious way Mikuo flinched at Mayu took a step toward him into the room, there was still that flower of fondness he felt for her. He knew it wasn't entirely her fault; Mayu could be sweet sometimes. Mayu loved him and she took care of him.

Mikuo couldn't help but realize that's exactly what someone in an abusive relationship would say.

"What's wrong?" Mayu asked, hesitating after her single step into the room. "Have I done something?"

"No." Yes. "It's nothing; don't worry." It's everything. Mayu, you're everything wrong with me.

Mayu seemed satisfied with this response, a smile forming on her face. She approached him again and it took everything in Mikuo to let her lay her peach nails on his shoulder in a way that seemed less affectionate and more possessive. Or maybe it was just in the light of everything else that it seemed that way. Mayu didn't even seem to notice herself doing these things.

"Why don't we walk to school together?" Mayu suggested. "I assume you're going back at some point, since your… appointment is over."

A flash of teeth let him know she obviously did not believe his story. Mikuo opened his mouth to reply, but in that moment his phone rings. The both of them jumped at the unexpected noise, Mayu watching as Mikuo pulled his phone from his pocket. On the screen, he saw Rin's contact name and hesitated before answering. It isn't Rin's voice that greets him.

"Mikuo," SeeU said.

Oh, God, not now, Mikuo's brain screamed as he glanced at Mayu. She tilted her head curiously at him, the obvious question on her lips.

"Hey," he said in greeting. "What's up?"

SeeU seemed surprised at his tone. "I knew you wouldn't answer if I called from my phone, so I stole Rin's this morning. Sorry."

"No, it's fine," Mikuo told her. It wasn't, but in front of Mayu he couldn't say much else.

"Really?" SeeU asked. Mikuo forgot she couldn't actually see him and nodded in response. It didn't matter much, because she just kept talking. "I really wanted to talk to you. I'm really sorry, Mikuo, I just-"

"Don't worry about it," Mikuo interrupted. "Look, right now isn't a good time. But I'll call you back later. After school."

SeeU was silent.

"Promise," he said.

"Alright."

She hung up without saying goodbye.

"Who was that?" Mayu asked. Mikuo shrugged and slid his phone into his pocket. This was not the answer she wanted, that much was clear by the slight tick of her eyebrows.

"So, school?" Mikuo suggested, forcing a smile onto his face. Mayu did not look pleased with this change of topic, but slid her arm in his and smiled up at him anyway. A shiver travelled up Mikuo's spine at that.

"Sure," she agreed. "Have you had breakfast?" Mikuo didn't have a chance to respond before she added, "Oh, who cares if you have? I'll make you something anyway! You're a twig."

Mikuo was pulled downstairs at that, unable to protest her wishes.

Mikuo sat at the table as Mayu hummed along to a song in her head, pulling an apron on. His mother and father never used it. Mikuo honestly didn't know why they even have an apron, to be honest.

Mikuo watched as she set to work mixing batter, pulling fruit from the fridge and chopping strawberries into thin slivers. Mikuo watched as batter sizzled in the skillet, browning to a crisp on the edges as Mayu hummed, flipping each pancake with ease. It was silent save for her humming, which set Mikuo on edge. It was a grating sound, one Mikuo couldn't help but feel is some form of power play. Listen to me, Mayu was saying. I control the conversation. My voice is the one that matters. Listen to me and only me, Mikuo. Just listen.

Mikuo decided his imagination is way too active and squashed down his thoughts, focusing on the warm smell of pancakes and the way Mayu swayed on the spot as she continued to cook.

Mayu slid a plate in front of him. On it are two pancakes smothered in syrup and chopped strawberries. Mikuo hesitated before cutting a bite free, letting his fork hover in front of his mouth. Mayu was leaning toward him, hands on the edge of the table. She was still in her apron, looking intently at him. To Mikuo, she seemed all too intent on him, staring at him with a fixation that made his stomach swim with worry.

Mikuo chose to ignore this feeling. With a single motion, he stuffed the bite of pancake into his mouth, chewing as though there was some alternate purpose to this action. In reality, he was just chewing a pancake in a rather stupid way, but Mayu wouldn't point that out.

"It's good," Mikuo made sure to say, despite his cluttered mind. He offered up a smile, relieved to see Mayu return it. He steadily ate through the food she made and the orange juice she had set in front of him. Her intent gaze made him monumentally uncomfortable, but he could barely stomach the food, let alone risking Mayu's irritation or hurt feelings.

He has never really understood the phrase "walking on eggshells" before he found himself ankle-deep in ruined omelettes.

Upon finishing, Mikuo ignored the gurgling of his stomach and the way it sat uneasily, almost painfully. It was a simple enough thing to reach across the table and lightly pat Mayu's hand, smiling all the way.

"I love you," Mayu said. It was sudden, but Mikuo could feel something warm inside him. Mayu did love him. That made some of this, any of it, worth it. Somehow. Didn't it?

"Love you-"

Mikuo cut himself off as his eyes went blurry. Quickly, he blinked. Instead of helping, his vision only got worse, black spots leaking into his eyesight. There was a moment of panic as Mikuo focused on Mayu's face. Pretty Mayu. But Mayu's face… it wasn't right. All… Scrunched up in the wrong places? Was that the right way of putting it?

Mikuo recognized the word expression as he stumbles in panic. There was a pain in his temple. Then, it was black.

I tried to do some research about poisons. Like, what household chemicals will knock you out but not kill you and what they might taste like in food, but, uh... I gave up. I couldn't find many resources. So I gave up. Yeah